Non-refillable bottle.



PATENTED MAY 19, `1908.

P. L. O. WADSWORTH. NON-REFILLABLE BOTTLE. APPLIOATION FILED Nov. 24. 1805.

INVENTOR wrrnssss Mal sumaron, Q C

UNITED sTATEs PATENT oEEieE.

FRANK L. O. WADSWORTH, OF MORGANTOWN, WEST VIRGINIA.

NON-REFILLABLE B OTTLE To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK Il. O. TenswoRTH, of Morgantown, Monongalia county, /Vest Virginia, have invented a new and useful Nen-Refillable Bottle, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which- Figure l is a vertical section of the upper portion of the bottle embodying the invention; Fig. 2 is a section on the line II-II of Fig. l; Figs. 3 and 4 are views similar to Fig. l but showing` modified forms of the invention, and Fig. 5 is a sectional view on the line VHV of Fig. 4.

My invention is designed to provide a bot tle with means whereby it cannot be refilled either by ordinary methods, or by resorting to expedients, such as the use of air-pumps, etc., and which will provide a sure safeguard against the improper use of the bottle by the substitution therein of contents other than that originally placed therein.

The invention is also designed to provide means of this character which can be used not only with a bottle specially designed therefor but which can also be applied to ordinary bottles without change in their construction.

My invention broadly consists in a bottle closure containing a material, normally inactive, but which when wet or moistened, is capable of generating an expansive action which is utilized either to hermetically seal the bottle to the introduction of any liquid there-to, or to fracture and destroy the stopper or the neck of the bottle, as may be desired. This material is so arranged that it is normally protected from the liquid contained in the bottle and also from the flow of the liquid in emp tying the bottle, but in any attempt to introduce liquid to the bottle in any way, such liquid immediately comes into contact with the material and causes the expansive action described. I also provide a novel form of valve arranged to hermetically seal the bottle under the expansive action of the material described, and I preferably make such valve in such a way that its specific gravity shall be less than that of the liquid used in the bottle so that if the bottle is inverted in liquid in an attempt to lill it the valve will remain closed independently of the expansive action described.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed November 24, 1905.

Patented May 19, 1908.

Serial No. 288,978.

My invention also consists in the novel construction, arrangement and combination of the parts all substantially as hereinafter described and pointed out in the appended claims.

Referring to the accompanying drawing, the numeral 2 in Figs. l and 2, designates the neck portion of the bottle, which is formed with a number of interior annular shoulders 3, 4, 5 and 6 of progressively decreasing diameters.

7 is a cork or stopper, which is preferably of glass, and which is of two diameters, with a shoulder S which seats upon the shoulder 3 in the bottle neck. This stopper is formed with two series of vertical longitudinal passages, one of which consists of circular openings 9 formed through the upper or larger portion of the stopper, and a second series 9L consisting of longitudinal grooves on the outside of the inner smaller portion of the stopper, intermediate between the holes of the `first series. These two sets of passages communicate with. each other through the circular groove 9b separating the lower inclined face of outer portion of the glass stopper from the opposing face of the bottle neck.

fithin the neck of the bottle below the cork or stopper 7 is a valve, which in the form shown in Fig. l, consists of a hollow shell 10, preferably of glass, open at its ends and seated upon the internal shoulders 4 and 5 by means of surrounding cork rings l1. Secured in the lower end of this shell is a valve plug 12, which is also preferably of cork, and in the upper end portion of the shell is an apertured plug 13. The under side of the stopper 7 is formed with a central recess 14. above the plug 13, and the adjacent faces of the stopper and valve shell are shaped so that when the valve is in the normal position shown in Fig. l there are spaces or passages 15 between these two parts and communicating with the aperture in the plug 13.

1G designates a body of expansive material, which is seated within the valve shell between the plugs 12 and 13. This material may either be some substance, such as pithcorn pith being suitable for the purposewhich will expand rapidly and to a very considerable degree so soon as it is moistened, or it may be some substance, such as calcium carbid, or an organic compound such as sodium amid, potassium, zinc ethyl, or Zinc starnp of the manufacturer, bottler, or proprietor may be impressed. n

18 is a readily removable cap, of any suitable character, and constituting the final closure of the bottle.

The contents of the bottle may be discharged, after the cap 18 has been removed, by tipping it in the usual manner, the liquid flowing out by the valve plug 12 and cork rings 11 through the irregular discharge passages 9, 9a, 9b, the valve being moved by the liquid against the under side of the stopper 7, thereby closing the space or discharge 15 and preventing any of the liquid from gaining access to the interior of the valve chamber containing the expansive material. Upon any attempt, however, to introquce liduid into the bottle, the valve isv at once forced to its seat, and the liquid flowing through the space 15 enters the apertured plug 13 and comes in contact with the expansive material. The expansive force of this material acts at first to separate the plugs 12 and 13, and force the latter against the stopper 7 and the former against the shoulder 6, and thereby Wedges the valve tightly to its seat and hermetically seals the bottle. 1f a sufficient body of pith is used, or if a large amount of the decomposable material such as calcium carbid, or one of the organic comy pounds previously mentioned, is employed, the force of the expansion may be suflicient to fracture the stopper or the neckof ythe bottle and by its destruction prevent its further use. 1f the stoppers are designed to have this action the walls of the stop )er are made relatively thin, and it is advisab e that the bottles be marked or labeled in such a way as to call attention to the fact that any attempt to refill them will be dangerous.

By reason of the irregular nature of the discharge passages in the stopper 7 it will be impossible to introduce a wire or similar device for the purpose of holding the valve away from its seat, neither can an air pump be employed for the purpose of holding the valve away from its seat, since it will be impossible to fill the bottle without bringing sufficient liquid in contact with the expansive material to cause the action above described. The valve body when constructed as above described, is also very light, its specific gravity being less than that of ordinary liquids, so that if the bottle is inverted in a vessel containing liquid in an attempt to refill it, it will still float and remain in its seated position.

1n Fig. 3 1 have shown a modification of the invention adapted for application to an ordinary bottle. In this construction the valve chamber is formed in a glass stopper 19 which is permanently secured in the mouth of the bottle by cement or otherwise. Formed in the stopper is a valve chamber 20, and the discharge passage 21 leading from such chamber to the interior of the bottle. The upper portion of the valve chamber is shaped to form a seat for a stopper proper,

22, which is preferably in the form of a separable glass plug, which is either permanently secured in the stopper 19 or which may .be covered by a sealing body 23 similar to the sealing body 17 of the construction shown in Fig. 1. The circumferential wall of the upper portion of the stopper 19 is formed with a series of discharge passages 24 which communicate at their inner ends with a circumferential opening between the outer wall of the stopper and the glass plug 22. This inner plug 22 has a series of longitudinal slots or passages 25 formed on the stopper wall and are situate intermediate to the openings 24 in the outer wall, which openings are normally closed by any suitable removable cap 26. The valve in this construction may consist of a body portion 27 of cork or other suitable material, and a chambered plug portion 28 secured therein, and in which is placed the expansive material 29. The body portion 27 has a seat at 30 and the plug 28 has a seat at 31. The body 27 has a vertical aperture 32 leading to the expansive material, and the upper face of said body and the lower face of the stopper 22 are shaped to form, in the seated position of the valve, a space 33 communicating with the said aperture. The operation of this form of my invention is similar to that described in connection with 1, any attempt to introduce liquid to the bottle causing it to come in contact with the expansive material 29 with the results before described.

4 shows another form of my invention., in which the expansive material 35 is situated centrally within the lower portion of a two-part stopper 36, 36a, said stopper being secured in a hollow supplemental neck portion 37 which is adapted to be fitted over the neck portion of an ordinary bottle, and permanently secured thereto. The discharge for the bottle is through the valve seat 38, the circumferential opening 39 below the stopper 36a, the vertical passages 40 at the peripheral portion of the stopper 36a, the corresponding recesses 41 in the peripheral portions of the stopper 36, and the lateral discharge passages 42 of thel supplemental neck 37. The upper portions of the peripheral grooves 40 in the lower stopper portion 36a are contracted to form narrow slits 4()a so as to prevent the introduction of wires or tubes from the upper into the lower passages and also prevent the ready flow of liquid back into the bottle. Formed on the lower side of the stopper part 36 are passages 43 intermediate between `the recesses 41, and communicating with the latter by means of the circumferential opening between the upper' and lower stopper parts 36 and 36a. Upon any attempt to refill the bottle, the liquid floods these passages and is brought into contact with the expansive material 35. In this 'construction the action of the expansive material is against a valve-plug 45, preferably a cork, and arranged when forced inwardly by the action of such material, to close the discharge opening through the seat 3S. If sufficient expansive material is placed in this recess, and the walls of the stopper made sufficiently thin, the stopper may be as before destroyed.

The stopper 36, 36ZL may be secured Within the supplemental neck 37 by means such as I have described in connection with the two preceding forms of my invention, or a split spring ring, soldered at its union after the stopper is inserted, such as indicated at 46 may be used.

The advantages of my invention result from the arrangement whereby any attempt to introduce liquid into the bottles causes an intermediate expansive action of the material contained within the stopper, which action is utilized to either hermetically seal the bottle or to destroy the stopper and seal, or if desired even destroy the neck of the bottle.

It will be obvious that variouschanges may be made in the construction and arrangement of the parts, and that the broad features of my invention are capable of various embodiments.

What I claim is '1. A bottle closure having a 'chamber therein containing a material which will decompose explosively when brought into contact with a liquid; substantially as described.

2. A bottle closure having a chamber therein containing a material which will decompose explosively when brought into contact with a liquid, said material being normally protected by the closure from contact with 'the liquid within the bottle, but arranged to be brought into contact with liquid introduced into the bottle through the closure; substantially as described.

3. A bottle closure having a closing valve, and means for seating the same, consisting of a body of material contained within the closure and capable of decomposing explosively when moistened or wet; substantially as described.

4. A bottle closure having a chamber therein containing expansive material, and a sealing valve capable of being fractured by the expansion action of such material, the closure having means for causing liquid to come in contact with such material when it is attempted to refill the bottle; substantially as described.

5. A bottle stopper' having a movable chambered valve body, an expansive material within the chamber of such body, said body having a passage leading to such chamber, and means for normally guarding the said passage against the entrance of liquid substantially as described.

6. In a non-refillable bottle, a closure for the bottle having a valve chamber therein and tortuous discharge passages leading outwardly from said chamber, said closure also .has a sealing valve in said chamber, and decomposable material arranged to act upon said valve when moistened or wet; substantially as described.

7. In a non-refillable bottle, a closure thereof having a valve chamber therein, a stopper seating portion above the chamber, a stopper seated therein and having tortuous discharge passages leading outwardly from the valve chamber, a movable valve in said chamber, and a body of expansive material in contact with the valve, the closure having means for normally guarding the said material from contact with liquid and for permitting suoli contact under certain conditions.

S. In a non-refillable bottle, a closure having a non-removable stopper formed with tortuous discharge passages, amovable sealing valve below said stopper, and decomposable material arranged to act on said valve,

the closure having means for causing liquid introduced through the stopper to come in contact with such material substantially as described.

9. A non-refillable bottle having a valve arranged to give a free discharge opening when the bottle is tipped, and a body of explosively decomposable material arranged to act upon said valve upon the introduction of liquid therein; substantially as described.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand.

FRANK L. VADSWOR'IH.

' Vitnesses:

GEO. B. BLEMING, JOHN MILLER. 

